Wallsteiner



Aug. 11, 1959 E. WALLSTEINER GOLF TRAINING DEVICE 4 SheetsSheet 1 FiledJan. 14, 1957 //vv/v70R [WALD WALLSTE/NER A f/arneys Aug. 11, 1959 E.WALLSTEINER I GOLF TRAINING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 14, 1957//v v/v 70R EWALD WALLSTEl/VER Arlo meys 1959 E. WALLSTEINER 2,899,208

GOLF TRAINING DEVICE 4 'SheetsSheet 3 Filed Jan. 14, 195'? l/WfA/TOREPWILD WALLSTE/NER A Hameys Aug. 11, 1959 E. WALLSTEINER 2,899,208 GOLFTRAINING DEVICE Filed Jan. 14. 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4' ,4 Nor/rays a tunThe present invention relates to a training device. More in particularthe present invention relates to a training device for golf and similarsports and games involving the hitting of a ball or a similar objecttowards a goal or target.

The practice of golf or similar ball driving activities cannot always becarried out on the requisite playground. It is therefore known in theart to construct various training facilities purportedly suitable forexercising golf and similar sports and games indoors. It is thus knownto construct devices consisting of a catch net adjustably stretchedtransversely to the tee and having lateral and oblique edges set towardsthe front and to equip these devices with a ball returning elementinclined towards the tee. All these known facilities are, however,unsatisfactory and suifer from a number of disadvantages. The idealtraining device must enable the player to execute the most forcefulstrokes on a very small space and even in a small corner of a room. Theshots to be executed with an ideal training device must be carried outin exactly the same manner as on the outdoor practice field.

In the known devices, the hard stroke, performed at such a shortdistance will inevitably drive the ball against the net with such aforce that the ball will rebound regardless of the fact whether the netis tensioned or resilient. In addition, all known training devices haveseveral hard and unelastic areas upon the surface of the net or at theedges of the latter. If the ball is hit against one of these unelasticareas it will rebound with such vigor that the player may be hit by theball and may be accordingly seriously hurt. Even a thorough padding ofthe conventional training devices has proved to be incapable ofeliminating this danger.

It is therefore necessary to design the net of a training device inwhich the aforementioned disadvantages are to be avoided in such amanner that the net will entirely absorb and thereby eradicate thekinetic energy of the ball. Once this has been done, the ball will fallsoftly back to the floor. In addition, the fastening of the net must bedevised in such a manner that any unelastic spots or edges causing theball to rebound with vigor are entirely eliminated.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide for atraining device for practising golf and similar sports and games whereinthe practising conditions correspond to the conditions prevailing inpractising the respective activity on the actual playground.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide for atraining device for practising golf and similar sports and games withwhich the most forceful and vigorous strokes can be practised.

It is another object of the present invention to provide for a trainingdevice for practising golf and similar sports and games with which therespective activity can be practised with a very small available space.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for atraining device for practising golf and similar sports and games withwhich the respective activity can be practised without endangering thepractising person or any other person in the vicinity of the latter.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide for atraining device for practising golf and similar sports and games whichcan be easily folded and transported.

These objects are achieved and the disadvantages adhering to the knowntraining devices are avoided by the present invention comprising afirst, adjustable stretch net and a second net mounted directly in frontof the first net on the side facing the player. The second net consistsof various net portions.

Directly in front of the adjustable, stretched net, on the side facingthe player, a second net is mounted, consisting of various small netportions, arranged in various heights and partly overlapping each othertowards the front side. They are preferably suspended at the top edgeonly and are not connected with each other. These nets are connected bymeans of a frame construction installed behind the nets and outside ofthe area in which these net portions are suspended; the frame isconnected to the slanted ball returning area which extends underneaththe nets.

If the net is constructed in the manner described above, every ball hittowards the main net must on its way be caught by one of the suspendednet portions; there it becomes entangled, a fact which is essential tothe functioning of the device of the present invention. 7

The present invention will be better understood upon the followingdetailed description of the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is aperspective front view of the training device of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the training device;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the upper portion of the deviceshown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a front view of the device wherein the ball return portionis folded upwardly;

Figure 5 is a side view of the device of Figure 4 with the ball returnportion in play position;

Figure 6 is a side view and shows the upper portion of the device asshown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a detailed view of a strut connection of the device of theinvention;

Figure 8 is a detailed view, partly in section of a strut connection ofthe device;

Figure 9 is another detailed view, partly in section of a strutconnection of the device;

Figure 10 is still another detailed view, partly in section of a strutconnection of the device;

Figure 11 is a further detailed view, partly in section of a strutconnection of the device;

Figure 12 is an elevational front view of another embodiment of theframe construction of the device of the invention;

Figure 13 is a side view of the embodiment of the frame constructionshown in Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a top view of the frame construction of the ball returningelement of the device of the invention;

Figure 15 is a front view of a strut used for assembling the frameconstruction of the device of the invention;

Figure 16 is a cross sectional view of a strut used for assembling theframe construction of the device of the invention;

Figure 17 is a diagram of the frame construction shown in Figure 12;

Figure 18 is another diagram of the side elevational view of the frameconstruction as shown in Figure 13;

Figure 19 is a further diagram of the folded frame construction of thepresent invention;

Figure 20 is a cross sectional view of the completely folded frameconstruction of the device of the invention,

Referring now to the drawings somewhat more in particular the balltraining equipment according to the invention is erected by means of aframe construction; its main constituent parts are 'two vertical struts20 and 22 and two horizontal stru'ts'Zl and 23, as well as struts 24,attached at the upper points of intersection of strut 21 with struts 20and 22, respectively, and.

which extend in upward direction and towards the front of the trainingdevice. The horizontal bottom strut 23 supports a ball return surface 25and the horizontal top strut 21 carried a main net 26, with its variousconnected further net portions, as specified in the following. The mainnet 26 is loosely suspended from the top strut 21. Those of its surfaceareas which are projecting outwardly of the lateral struts 20 and '22are connected with the ends of strut 24. The main net 26 is alsofastened with its bottom end to the ball return surface 25.

Connected to the top ends of suspension struts 24 in front of the mainnet 26, a catch net 27 constituting a canopy is stretched. This catchnet 27 has its lower edge fastened to the front side of main net 26. Thetension of this catch net, laterally, can be changed by rotating struts24 about their pivotal connection with the vertical struts 20 and 22.

It is a particular feature of this invention that the top catch net 27has its lower edge connected to the top of the main net and the catchnet portions 28, 29 and 30, which are of varying heights, are suspendedat only their top edge from the front face of the main net but areindependent of each other. Depending upon the height of net 26,additional net portions may be added. Figure 2 indicates as an example,how these net portions are fastened with their top edge to main net 26and how their bottom edges are hanging free, overlapping each other. Itmay be sufficient to fasten the net portions at the upper side corners.

A continuous target tape 31 is installed in front or behind main net 26in the vertical center from top to bottom. It is provided with marks,i.e. with letters or numbers; there is, however, also the possibility ofdividing the target tape into several short sections, one for each netportion 28, 29 and 30, whereby the marking of the individual sectionswill subsequently follow towards the top.

Another characteristic of the present invention is, that all reboundingsurfaces in the area of net 26 and the net portions 28, 29 and 30fastened thereto, are eliminated since all parts of the frame 20, 22, 21and 23, 24 are located behind net 26 and net portions 28, 29 and 30.Therefore, a ball strongly hitting the net will bulge the net at theimpacted spot, but will never touch the frame.

The ball return surface 25 may comprise cloth, netting or elastic orhard material, and is provided with lateral roll-off edges 41. Itreaches below the lowest part of net portion 30. The rear edge of theball return surface is fastened stretchably to the horizontal bottomcross strut 23, supporting struts'33 and cross brace 32, and can bereleased. The ball return surface 25 extends forwardly onto a mat 34,where its lateral support struts 33 are connected by means of the crossbrace 32, which enables stretching of the entire returner opposite tothe frame. The mat is provided with a tee. This mat has severalexchangeable surfaces, designed as a substitute for the lawn surface ofa fairway and/or the rough (high grass).

The frame should further meet the requirement of being capable offolding so as to form a small bundle,

requiring little space only; therefore the various frame struts can onlypartly be welded together. They should not be constructed so as to betaken apart, because this tion. This can be achieved in different ways.One of the possibilities is shown in Figures 4 thru 11 of theaccompanying drawings. a

All tubular frame struts 20 and 23 can be folded by means of a hinge 35being installed in the middle of their length, allowing for the folding,so that they can be laid alongside of each other. A flat iron 36 isfixed for this purpose to the upper part of the tube, as shown inFigures 7 and 8, for the hinge of vertical strut 20. The flat iron willbe enclosed by a forked link 37, mounted to the lower part of the tube,whereby parts 36 and 37 are hingedly connected by means of a pivot 38.This joint connection is secured by a security pin, inserted into hole39 drilled through both parts 36 and 37, opposite pivot 38. Afterremoving this pin (not indicated in the drawings) the upper half oftubular strut (see left part of Figure 8) can be folded down alongsidethe bottom half of tubular strut. Pivot 38 for the hinge, as shown inFig ure 8 is eccentrically arranged, so as to allow for a closearrangement of both halves of the strut. In the same manner struts 21and 23 can be folded down to one half of their length by means ofsimilar hinges 35. Vertical struts 20 and 22 are also divided a secondtime and at their separated ends provided with threads 40 and 40' ofopposite direction. These ends are screwed into a threaded sleeve 42,joining the same and allowing for an adjustment of their length.

The upper horizontal strut 21 is welded to the vertical struts 20 and22, as indicated in Figure 10. This connection is provided with a disc43 with a projecting catch 44. On this disc a turnable bushing 45 bearthe slightly upwardly slanted strut. On its lower edge the bushing isprovided with several notches which are engageable with the catch 44 tolock the bushing in position. A spring 46 located between the top of thebushing and a buffer of a screw-bolt permanently presses the bushing 45downward- 1y. By means of this snapping catch connection not only theoblique position of the struts 24, pointing in outward direction can bechanged and adjusted, but the same can also be turned towards the insideand there be secured, as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 4.

The lower free ends of vertical struts 20 and 22 are either set intoslots in the floor or rest in footings 49, attached to the floor bymeans of screws. Said struts, as shown in Figure 5 in dotted lines, canbe provided with supports 50, pointing backward, by which meansanchoring to a wall can be effected, if necessary.

The supporting struts 33 of the ball return surface 25 are firmlyconnected with the horizontal bottom frame strut 23, as indicated inFigure 11. The struts themselves as well as the oonnecting front strut32 are also provided with a hinge 35 in the middle of their length, so

that they can likewise be folded and laid alongside of each other. Theconnection of the bottom frame strut 23 with the vertical frame struts20 and 22 will best be effected as shown in Figure 11, i.e. by weldingan angular iron 51 onto struts 20 and 22 in adequate height, therectangularly bent-off free end of which is provided with a slot orhole, serving as a catch for pivot 52, installed at the ends of tube 23,upon the outside of which a screwnut 53 may be fastened and which, whentightened on both sides of cross strut 23, will firmly connect it withthe angular iron 51 and thereby also with both vertical struts '20 and22. Provided the supporting struts 33 run towards each other in front,as indicated in Figure 6, the complete frame will have an approximatethree-point support through footings 49 and cross strut 32, whichprovide a firm and stable footing.

Figures 12 and 20 refer to another, very practical em bodiment andillustrate the folding-up of the frame.

The example shows, as indicated in Figure 4, that the ball returnsurface 25 is tilted upwardly, the struts 24 are turned to the insideand then the upper frame half is folded down along the XX, and thenagain along the axis YY, thereby reducing the size of the frame to onequarter of its original size.

The example shown in Figures 12 thru 20 provides a bundle of strutsafter being folded, which can be placed in the bag. Here also thehorizontal frame struts 21 and 23 and the supporting struts 33 of theball returner are provided with hinges in their respective centers tomake a folding possible. The vertical struts 20 and 22 consist ofsections and can be stuck together at their joints. The suspensionstruts 24 are hinged to the point of intersection of struts 20 and 22with the upper cross strut 21 and are kept in correct slanting positionby struts 55. The horizontal bottom strut 23 is also hinged to thevertical struts 20 and 22. Connecting struts 56, the design of which isindicated in Figures and 16, are connected with horizontal struts 21 and23 through a pivot and their free, forked ends can be connected with thevertical struts by means of slots in adequate height, and a pin so thatthe position illustrated in Figure 12 is received. Also the supportingstruts 33 of the ball returner can be connected to the bottom ends ofthe vertical frame struts and 22 by means of such hinged connectingstruts 57. The above mentioned struts 55, 56 and 57 will at theirconnecting points be unfastened for transportation, so that thesuspension struts 24 will be hinged downwards; connecting irons 56 willbe arranged alongside of horizontal struts 21 and 23 and the latter willthen fold their hinges 35 in such manner that the top hinge is locatedat the bottom, the bottom hinge located on top, thereby resulting in theposition illustrated in Figure 14. Then the vertical struts are takenapart at their joints 58 and both halves of the frame are placed side byside, whereby a bundle is obtained containing all tubular struts of theframe structure held closely together, as illustrated in Figure 20. Theentire material can then be stored and transported in a bag (indicatedby dotted lines).

The already mentioned additional connecting struts 55, 56 and 57 are ofsemi-cylindrical design or consist of channel iron and have, at least ona part of their length, such an inside diameter, that upon folding ofthe frame and when they are placed towards the frame strut bearing thepivot, these connecting struts will clasp around the frame strut in theprovided length.

The ball return surface 25, firmly attached to the frame elements 20through 23 would interfere with this folding procedure; therefore it isremovable. For this purpose bushings have been provided on verticalstruts 20 and 22, into which the ends of the supporting struts 33 of theball returner can be placed and fastened by pins. After being drawn outof bushings, the struts can be folded at their hinges 35 and therebywill amount to half of their original length only. The front cross strut32 can in this construction be drawn out and is shaped, for example, asa flat iron.

As illustrated in Figure 13 the frame elements 20 through 23 can also bearranged slightly obliquely towards the front, in which case thefootings 49 will be provided with sockets slightly deviating from thevertical line for the bottom ends of struts 20 and 22'. This design maybe of advantage, because the catch net portions 28, 29 and 30, asdescribed in previous paragraphs, suspended in various heights, aresuspended isolatedly from the main net 26 and therefore can more easilyand more completely bulge and wrap around the ball.

The previously described roll-01f edges for the ball return surface canbe of various designs. In case elastic material is used for the ballreturn surface 25, such edges can consist of loops standing upright andsewn on, into which a flat iron can be inserted.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modificationin order to adapt it to different usages and conditions, and,accordingly, it is desired to compre- 6 hend such modifications thisinvention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A ball-driving cage comprising a supporting frame having a pair ofspaced forwardly inclined vertical struts interconnected adjacent theends thereof by horizontal struts, a main net attached to the upper ofsaid horizontal struts and spaced forwardly of said vertical struts,said main net having portions extending outwardly and forwardly of saidframe, means on the top of said supporting frame diverging upwardly andforwardly of said frame for supporting said outwardly extending portionsof said main net, a catch net suspended from said sup porting means andhaving its lower edge fastened to the front side of said main net, saidcatch net further comprising a plurality of net portions being suspendedby their top edges from the front side of said main net, said netportions being arranged at various heights with the bottom parts of eachof said net portions ovenlapping the next following lower portion, and aball-return surface inclined downwardly from the lower end of said mainnet and extending forwardly thereof.

2. A ball-driving cage as claimed in claim 1 with said main net beingadjustably stretchable laterally thereof.

3. A ball-driving cage as claimed in claim 1 with said supporting meanscomprising a pair of suspension struts, a pair of rotatable bushings onthe upper ends of each of said vertical struts and provided with slotsin the bottom faces thereof, one of said pair of suspension strutsextending outwardly from each of said pair of bushings, a disc on theupper end of each of said vertical struts beneath said bushings, and aspring on each vertical strut urging said bushings against said discs,said catch net being suspended from said pair of suspension struts so asto form a canopy, said suspension struts also supporting said main net.

4. A ball-driving cage as claimed in claim 1 with the struts comprisingsaid supporting frame being provided in their respective centralportions with hinge means whereby said frame can be folded up.

5. A ball-driving cage as described in claim 4, with each of said strutscomprising said supporting frame being fork-shaped at one end and endingin a flat iron on the other end, said fiat iron and said fork beingprovided with holes of equal dimension, said fork engaging said flatiron, said fork and flat iron being secured by a security-pin boltentering said holes.

6. A ball-driving cage as described in claim 1, said sloped ball-returnsurface comprising a frame and a cover of elastic material, said coverbeing stretchably fastened upon said frame.

7. A ball-driving cage as described in claim 4, said sloped ball-returnsurface comprising a frame and a cover of elastic material, said coverbeing fastened upon said frame, said frame being composed of a crossbrace and a pair of hinged connecting struts, said connecting strutsconnecting said frame of said ball-return surface to said supportingframe supporting said nets, said supporting frame further comprising apair of supporting struts and four propping struts, said supportingstruts being hingedly fastened to the upper end of said vertical strutsand supporting said suspension struts, said propping struts beingfastened to the four corners of said frame construction so as toreinforce the structure of the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,407,109 Winkley Feb. 21, 1922 1,540,670 Vidmer June 2, 1925 2,123,195Middleton July 12, 1938

